Bombers thin on experience in big first tilt against Argos

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This article was published 08/06/2015 (3755 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mike O’Shea is taking a 55-man roster long on enthusiasm but short on CFL experience with him Monday to Toronto, where the Bombers will open their pre-season with a game against the Toronto Argonauts Tuesday night at Varsity Stadium.

While O’Shea says he’d like to beat the Argos and start his team’s 2015 season on a winning note, he has a much higher priority in Toronto tomorrow.

“Evaluate what we have,” O’Shea said Monday morning when he was asked what he wants to get out of his club’s trip east.

While O’Shea is taking four quarterbacks — including No. 1 guy Drew Willy — the overwhelming majority of his veteran starters will be staying behind in Winnipeg when the team climbs on a plane Monday afternoon.

None of the projected starters on the club’s defensive line, for instance, is making the trip and the club’s veteran starting receivers are also all staying home.

Still, O’Shea says his message to his players heading into the game won’t change. “Of course you want to win. All these guys who make it this far, they get here because they want to win. What am I going to do? Change that message now?”

Johnny Adams, the leading candidate to take over the import cornerback position vacated by Chris Randle’s move to SAM linebacker this year, says he has the same goal heading into Toronto that he always has heading into a game.

“We want to go down there as a business trip,” said Adams. “And we want to come back from there with a win.”

The Bombers had a brief, light practice at the University of Manitoba Monday morning. The game Tuesday will not be televised.

Among the positional battles in the spotlight will be at running back. O’Shea is bringing all five tailbacks he has in camp to Toronto.

That includes Carlos Anderson, whose stock rose this week when Troy Stoudermire broke his hand. Like Stoudermire, Anderson has also shown himself to be an effective kick returner during the first week of camp. And with Stoudermire out of the lineup indefinitely, Anderson’s ability to also be able to return kicks could also help him stand out among all the tailbacks.

“Just like with any sport — basketball, football, baseball — the more that you can do, the more you are coveted,” said Anderson.

email: paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

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